WE ARE living longer than ever as healthcare and living standards continue to improve, official figures show.

A baby girl born in the UK today can expect to live to the age of 83.

Getty Images

We are all living longer - a girl born today can expect to live to 83, while boys can expect to celebrate their 79th birthday

And a boy could now expect to see his 79th birthday.

This is up from 80.9 years and 76.5 years respectively from just a decade ago.

But the Office of National Statistics data reveals we are spending a smaller proportion of our lives in good health.

Men will have an average of 63.1 years without illness or disability, while women will have 63.9 years.

Experts say we are living longer due to healthier lifestyles – such as smoking and drinking less – and advances in medicine and healthcare.

But the ageing population and costly treatments are putting an increasing strain on hospitals, which have run up record deficits.

They are also struggling to cope with demand, with many failing to hit key targets on waiting times.

Related Stories

EAT TO BEAT DEMENTIA

These 6 foods will BOOST your brain and ward off Alzheimer's - and chocolate is one them!

THE SUN SAYS

UK's biggest killer is now dementia, so the Government MUST put more resources towards fighting it

Dementia worries

How to tell if it's normal ageing or Alzheimer's disease, and all the different types of dementia

Dr Keith Hopcroft

Deal with dementia by learning how to spot the signs of Britain's biggest killer

BIGGEST KILLER

Dementia is now the leading cause of death - overtaking heart disease for the first time

Sarah Caul, Senior Health Researcher at the ONS, said: “Improvements to healthcare and living healthier lives means that as a nation we are living longer and newborn boys and girls can expect to live for 79 and 83 years respectively.

“However while we are living longer we are spending a smaller proportion of our overall lives in good health which puts a greater challenge on health services.”

The figures reveal huge variations in life expectancy around the country.

Getty Images

But figures show we are spending a smaller proportion of our lives in good health. Men will have an average of 63.1 years without illness or disability, while women will have 63.9 years

AVERAGE AGE A WOMAN BECOMES MUM CREEPS UP

The average age of first-time mums in England and Wales is now 28.6 years.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show the age crept up in 2015 from 28.5 in 2014.
Overall, more than half (53 per cent) of live births in England and Wales were to mothers aged 30 and over.
Of these, 39 per cent were first births, 36 per cent were second births and 15 per cent were third births.
The average age of all dads rose to 33.2 years in 2015, compared with 33.1 years in 2014.
And 84 per cent of babies last year were registered by parents who were married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting.

Boys born in Kensington and Chelsea, West London, will live on average 83.4 years and girls in Hart, Hants, 86.7 years.

At the other end of the scale, boys from Glasgow City are expected to live to 73.4 years and women in West Dunbartonshire 78.7 years.

Boys born in Rutland enjoy the highest number of years in good health at 71.8.

But those born in Tower Hamlets, East London, can expect just 54 years of good health.

For girls, the Orkney Islands topped the table, providing on average 74.6 years of good health, compared with 51.4 years in Antrim and Newtown Abbey, Northern Ireland.